HOF Candidacy Of Minoso, One of the last Negro League Stars Is Apparently Over

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Minnie Minoso will still be a candidate for the next "Golden Era - (1947-1972) Veterans Committee" election. That election will be held in December 2014 for the Class Of 2015. According to varying accounts, if he survives until that election he will be somewhere between 89 and 92, depending on which birth date you believe. I feel that he is developing more support and he's moved closer to being elected. It really amazes me that both the Hispanic and Black communities don't get behind an election campaign in his behalf. He was a pioneer for both Hispanics and Blacks in major league baseball and there is no doubt that the racial barrier blocked his attempt to get to the majors sooner and that he start of his major leagues career was delayed by the racial separatist structure of society in the 1940s. This late start hurt his overall career numbers. Instead of having his career total of about 1950 base hits he could have finished his career with over 2500 hits. Instead of just under 200 stolen bases and just under 200 home runs, he might have had over 300 SBs and 300 HRs, and his other career stats would have been effected similarly. If he'd have been able to reach the majors at a much earlier age, if the racial barriers had fallen in the 1930s before his career started, instead of in the late 1940s and early 1950s, after Minoso had started his pro baseball career, his career longevity and all his career numbers would have been much greater and much more impressive.
If Minoso should pass away before the next election he is eligible for in December 2014, who can say if that will hurt or help his Hall Of Fame chances? It might help his chances for the first election, but if he's not elected in '14, it will probably then then hurt his chances at subsequent elections (as deceased players tend to be forgotten by nominators and voters fairly quickly). IE: 1928-1947, Cleveland Indians pitcher, Mel Harder stayed on the Veterans Committee ballot for many years, but after he passed away at age 93 in 2002, I don't think he was ever nominated again. except perhaps for the first VC election after his death in 2003.